Anastrepha limae

Diagnosis

The larva of A. limae can be distinguished from all other species of Anastrepha by the combination of preoral organ and preoral lobe fused, 8–15 accessory plates accessory plates:
small plates, often toothed, immediately lateral to the oral ridges, often poorly differentiated from them, and arranged in one, two or three series&nbsp;<a href="index.cfm?pageID=3385" target="_blank">(Anatomy: figures 7, 9)</a>
in 1–2 series, margins of oral ridges and accessory plates accessory plates:
small plates, often toothed, immediately lateral to the oral ridges, often poorly differentiated from them, and arranged in one, two or three series&nbsp;<a href="index.cfm?pageID=3385" target="_blank">(Anatomy: figures 7, 9)</a>
entire, ventral surface of mouthhook densely rough with denticles, prothoracic spiracles with 18–23 tubules, dorsal spinules on T1–T3 and A1–A2.

Description

Typical of Anastrepha larvae with the following specific characteristics for the third instar:

Body. Length 8.0–12.3 mm.

Head. Number of oral ridges usually 9–12 (range 8–14).

Cephalopharyngeal skeleton.

Spinules and creeping welts. Dorsal spinules on segments T1-A1 or T1-A2.

Anterior spiracles. Anterior spiracular tubules usually 18–21 (range 16–23), in a single uniform row.

Caudal segment (A8) and anal lobes. Anal lobes plainly visible, but not protuberant; simple (28%), or grooved (16%), or bifid (55%).

Posterior spiracles. Average length of dorsal and ventral rimae 86–120 µm; slits 2.7–4.2x longer than wide. Number of dorsal spiracular processes 10–13. Number of ventral spiracular processes 6–12. Number of lateral spiracular processes 4–13. Basal width of spiracular processes 12–34 µm. Dorsal and ventral spiracular processes: average number of tips 10–22. Dorsal and ventral spiracular processes: ratio of number of tips to number of trunks 1.1–2.2.

Host plants

Family	Genus / species
Passifloraceae	Passiflora quadrangularis

 

Part of plant attacked: fruit.

Biogeographic region and distribution

Neotropical

Anastrepha limae is known from Brazil (Amapá), Colombia (Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Santander, Tolima), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Veracruz), Nicaragua, Panama (Panama and Cocle provinces), and Venezuela (Stone 1942; Norrbom 2004, 2022; Hernández-Ortiz 2007; Rodriguez Clavijo et al. 2018).
 

Status of knowledge

The third instar larva and puparium were described and illustrated by Steck and Wharton (1988).

Specimens examined

Panama: Capira, 19–20.x.1935 J.Zetek 3552, reared ex Passiflora quadrangularis (n=31 [15 slide-mounted]) (NMNH, with associated adults). Additional morphological data of the pseudocephalon, thoracic and abdominal segments were captured from 10 specimens reared from fruits of P. quadrangularis in Panama (Cocle).

 

Adult taxonomy

Anastrepha limae Stone
Anastrepha limae Stone 1942: 67.—Panama. Panama City. HT ♀ USNM.

 

References

Carroll, L. E., A. L. Norrbom, M. J. Dallwitz, and F. C. Thompson. 2004 onwards. Pest fruit flies of the world – larvae. Version: 8th December 2006. http://delta-intkey.com.

Steck, G. J. and R. A. Wharton.1988. Description of immature stages of Anastrepha interrupta, A. limae and A. grandis (Diptera: Tephritidae). Annals Entomological Society America 81: 994-1003.